Yesterday I spent the day overseeing the installation of some draperies and furniture in several rooms for a project I call "Modern Love" that I wrote about a short while ago here. I'm working on six different rooms at the same time for which there are still several things on order and now, there's a bathroom reno added to the list (as of yesterday!) so I'm doing the installations in stages. In the living room yesterday we delivered and installed draperies, area carpet, ocassional tables, lamps and a large abstract canvas (partially seen on right wall) then this room will be complete after one more installation. I'll be adding some framed photography or artwork on the wall opposite the sofa (above a pair of lounge chairs that you can't see in the above photo), a side table for the day bed, a couple of floor lamps, a throw blanket, some accents pillows and a few small table top accessories.

Some designers do a complete room install all at once but I prefer to see all the main elements in place first so then I can assess and focus on all the smaller accent pieces needed to pull it together. I think there needs to be a degree of flexibility in the plans for those unexpected finds or 'impulsive must haves' that allow the room to evolve in its own way. Often some of the best things about a room are those unplanned or unimagined additions. I also always find that once a client sees the room at this stage, and they love everything, it makes the process of selecting all those final accent pieces so much easier for both parties - they'll have more confidence to just let you 'do your thing' and you have a clearer vision of what's needed to make the space sing.

It was a long day and although its still a work in progress, I love to see the pure happiness on my clients face when they see the room at the end of the day. My happy young client was beaming as he stared at his almost done living room,,,,,remembering what it looked like when he bought the house.......

Living Room - Before.

......this is what the living room, and pretty much the entire house looked like when my single bachelor client became the new owner of this large suburban family home. Yikes.

Its come a long way baby,,,,,,,and he's come a long way too, new baby and all!